First Degree
by spacebarista
Summary: Kaidan tends to Tali after she gets burned in Engineering.


AN: So I've been gasping for ideas for Talenko like air, as I've wanted to write it for a long time. LUCKILY VorchaGirl sent me a prompt (or two), and I started with this one. She prompted me Kaidan caring for her after she gets a plasma burn in Engineering. And I took it in, you know, some new directions. For me.

Enjoy! And please review if you can!

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"Ah! Stupid _bosh'tet_!"

Kaidan chuckles, pausing in spraying the antiseptic on Tali's exposed forearm. "You don't mean _me_ do you?"

He almost laughs again when Tali freezes, straightens her back as if in shock. "No, no Kaidan. Not you." The toe of her boot hits his shin in a playful kick. "The spray, the stupid panel that burned me. Take your pick."

"I'll pick anything that isn't me."

They're the only two on the Normandy. Shepard had ordered shore leave on the Citadel, but Kaidan had had a migraine and chose to stay in Port Observation. When he'd finally emerged to eat and shower, EDI had alerted him to Tali's presence in Engineering. He had finally gone to find her an hour later, only to startle her so badly that she'd burned her arm straight through the suit. He appreciated her refusal to blame him.

He tries to ignore the bigger elephant in the room. Her skin is exposed to the open air. He can see the lilac color around the deeper purple and reds of her burn. The panel had burned through her suit. Being an Alliance field medic who had worked with Tali before, he knows well enough how bad a breach in a quarian's suit can be. She'd insisted that it was fine, that she had a spare suit and didn't want to risk further contamination by having Kaidan call Huerta or rush her there himself. Still. Anything that happens to her because of the suit breach is on him.

"I'm sorry," he starts, laying aside the antiseptic and reaching to dab some medi-gel on a sterile pad. "I didn't mean to startle you. I should have messaged before coming down here."

Tali scoffs, waves her other hand. "Accidents happen, Kaidan. If that panel was going to burn me it would have done so without your help."

"Still." He pats the burn with the medi-gel, wincing as she hisses and almost yanks her arm away. He gently slips his free hand under hers, wraps his fingers around her wrist. His grip is weak enough that she could pull out of it if she really wanted. She doesn't. "You're suit's been breached."

"Like it hasn't been before," she teases, but her voice is quiet. Kaidan keeps working, reaching for fresh medi-gel. He lets himself focus on treating her burn, rather than think about the guilt rising up his throat. She could be recovering from a simple burn for _weeks_ , rather than a normal day or two. She'd have to deal with the after effects. The colds or infections or viruses. Hell, anything that the quarian immune system isn't equipped to hold up to. She'd be on some sort of antibiotics for weeks, too.

"Hey."

Her free hand rests on his arm, the three gloved fingers light and cool on his skin. He sighs, pausing his efforts. He looks up at her, eyes meeting the glowing ones behind her mask. An ache rises in his chest, and he quickly realizes that he wishes he could see her face.

They had hovered around each other on the SR-1. He'd take meals with her, visit her in Engineering, check on her after they'd come back from Shepard's ground missions, discuss quarian culture and her Pilgrimage in long elevator rides. She'd bring him tea after a migraine, keep him company at his faulty terminal, and ask him all about Earth and his family. Kaidan had tried not to let what he felt was the beginnings of a crush enter his mind. She'd been… so young. 22 to his 32. It felt… almost wrong to pursue something with someone so happy, so full of dreams and hope for her people, just seeing the galaxy, when he was an aging soldier with a faulty L2 implant. That was too much baggage and fear to put on someone so eager to explore the galaxy on her own.

After the SR-1 went down, she'd gone back to her people. Not that he blamed her. She had so much information she could bring to them about the geth that they could welcome her back from her Pilgrimage. He'd dated a handsome doctor for a while. Saw Shepard again. Almost died. And when he saw _Admiral_ Tali'Zorah vas Normandy again… That feeling he thought he'd moved on from, his little crush on the quarian, came rushing right back, and he tried to find any reason to be in her company again. It was like nothing had changed, that so much time hadn't gone by and he was a lovesick puppy or something.

He never thought he'd feel himself falling for someone whose face he's never seen and may never see.

Tali's grip on his arm tightens and her head tilts to the side. It makes Kaidan feel more vulnerable. "Kaidan. I mean it. It's not as bad as you think. Most of my suit already sealed itself off from my arm. Failsafe." She shrugs as best she can with the way her hands are positioned. "We wouldn't be the technological 'whizzes' everyone thinks we are if we couldn't seal off breaches. Sure, I might have mild irritation, maybe a cold. But thanks to _you_ , I also won't have a terrible burn to deal with as well."

He smiles, laughs softly. "Well… if you're sure."

"I'm sure." He can tell she's smiling too.

Tali releases his arm, and Kaidan finishes with the medi-gel in the companionable silence that follows. He feels her eyes burning into the top of his head. He tries to ignore the blush creeping up the back of his neck under her scrutiny. He lays a self-sealing bandage over the burn, observes it as it assesses the damage and adjusts accordingly.

"All right, Admiral," he announces, patting her knee and shooting her a smile. "I think you're set."

Tali doesn't move. He sees her glowing eyes blinking at him behind her mask. They shift down to her arm, and Kaidan follows her gaze. He's still holding her wrist.

"Oh, sorry." He releases her wrist, but doesn't meet her eyes. Tali clears her throat.

"No, it's fine… _Major_."

Out of her, it sounds musical. A hint of a tease and almost a purr. It sends a shiver through him. Despite the niceties, neither moves. Kaidan wouldn't complain, but it feels unfinished. Like everything is being left unsaid. And maybe it is. And _maybe_ someone should say it.

Kaidan stands. Tali watches him as he moves closer, bends down. With only the slightest bit of hesitation, he presses a quick kiss to her helmet where her cheek should be. He's not sure why, but it feels right. It feels like the right way to get out what's been bubbling inside of him.

"Thanks for being so forgiving, Tali."

He straightens. The lights of her eyes are big and round. For a moment, he worries he did something wrong, something bad in quarian culture or some huge misreading of signs. She looks down, mutters a " _Keelah_ " to herself, hand moving to her mouthpiece. Kaidan breathes deep. He begins to apologize—begins to _continue_ to apologize—when she stands abruptly, almost knocking over his little table.

"Kaidan…" She wrings her hands. She sounds shy, but his name sounds lovely in her voice. No one's said it better. His heart hammers in his chest and he chides himself for it. _You're_ 35 _, Alenko. Get it together_. She turns her gaze back up to him. "After I go through decontamination, change my suit… would you like to… have dinner, or tea or… something with me?" Kaidan could punch the air, but the quarian keeps talking. "I mean, it would have to be here, I shouldn't leave since I'm more adjusted to the ship's environmentals. I know it would put you out, but—"

"Hey." She stops, looks up at him, and he gives her the brightest smile he's given anyone in a long time. "I'd love that. Really."

She holds still again, staring at him. But he can't even feel unnerved. He's too happy. To proud and pleased and elated. It's happening. Or… it's starting. That could be enough for him. She finally nods, reaches out to touch his arm.

"You're forgiven for smudging up my helmet… _bosh'tet._ "

The name is accentuated by a poke to his chest with her free hand. He laughs, catches her hand. "You might have to get used to it, Admiral."

"I might, _Major_." She squeezes his hand before pulling away, breezing past him with a rustle of fabric. "I'll message you in a bit."

Kaidan watches the medbay door cycle closed behind her, watches her approach the elevator and disappear inside with one last look in his direction. He breathes.

He catches himself thinking that Tali should get hurt more often. He'll have to work on his timing. His thinking. Words.

Baby steps.


End file.
